October-November 2021 Issue of Inside New Orleans

495

$

FRENCH QUARTER MUSEUMS • CANCER AWARENESS • JAMES MICHALOPOULOS • HOT TAMALES

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2021 VOL. 8, NO. 5

October-November 2021

Vol. 8, No. 5

Publisher Jonée Daigle-Ferrand –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Editor

Leah Draffen

Art Director

Brad Growden

Contributors

Alison Burns Schonk

Leslie Cardé

Lorin Gaudin

Sue Strachan

Anna Tusa

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Account Executives

Sarah Daigle

Amalie Murphy

Genevieve Daigle-Buring Poki Hampton Summer Tallant Trish Trahan

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Executive Assistant

Summer Tallant

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Advertise phone

(504) 251-4818

email InsideNewOrleansMag@gmail.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Contribute Please send items for Inside Scoop to ScoopINOLA@gmail.com.

Photos for Inside Peek, with captions, should be sent to PeekINOLA@gmail.com. Submit items for editorial consideration to InsideNewOrleansMag@gmail.com.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Subscriptions 1 Year $18 2 Years $30 phone

(504) 400-0384

email SummerINOLA@gmail.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

On the cover

Artist James Michalopoulos.

Find more on page 14.

Visit InsideNewOrleansMagazine.com to view our online issue with direct links to our advertisers’ sites.

INSIDE NEW ORLEANS is published bi-monthly (February, April, June, August, October, December) by JBL Publishing, LLC, PO Box 7603, Metairie, LA 70010-7603 as a means of communication and information for greater New Orleans, Louisiana. Bulk Postage paid - New Orleans, LA. Copy­right ©2020 by JBL Publishing, LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent of publisher. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and artwork. Inside New Orleans Magazine is created using the page 20 Adobe Creative Suite on Apple Macintosh computers.

6

I n side N ew Orl ea n s

page 30

contents table of

page 24

Departments

10 Publisher’s Note page 43

12 Editor’s Note

55 Banking, Financial and Insurance Resources

13 Contributors

56 Travel

18 INside Scoop

58 INside Peek

40 Flourishes

60 Drinks with Anna

Shaking up the Classics

43 INside Look 46 Rebuilding Resources 53 Up & Coming 54 IN Small Business

Post-Ida Business Recovery

Features

14 Living Artfully

Cover Artist James Michalopoulos 24 Days and Nights at the French Quarter Museums

A dive into what makes them so special—and ghost stories!

31 Cancer Awareness 49 Senior Care and Retirement Living

8 I n side N ew Orl ea n s

page 60

61 IN the Kitchen

Hot Tamales New Orleans Style 64 Haute Plates 66 Last Bite

Everyday Keto To Go Bakery

Publisher’s Note

by Jonée Daigle-Ferrand

Summer is officially over, and despite everything that has been happening, I still feel grateful for everything in my life. During October and November, I enjoy the cooler weather, watching my daughter play sports, Halloween parties, Thanksgiving gatherings with family and attending fall events. I am looking forward to a little more normalcy and the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful, cool weather for a short time.

I hope you can attend Inside New Orleans’ upcoming Meet the Cover Artist event. It will feature James Michalopoulos’ exhibit at the New Orleans Jazz Museum on Thursday, October 28, from 6-8pm. The event will feature live music, food from Annunciation Restaurant, champagne, and a tour of the museum and James’ exhibit on the 2nd floor. If you want to get in the Halloween spirit, come dressed as your favorite musician.

This holiday season I would love for all of Inside New Orleans magazine readers to make a promise to shop and eat ocal, and especially support all of our amazing businesses and advertisers.

Happy Halloween! Happy Thanksgiving!

10

I n side N ew Orl ean s

Editor’s Note

by Leah Draffen

I have a confession. One of my favorite scents in the whole wide world is fresh lumber. You read that right. A stroll through a lumber yard or home improvement store? Yes, please. Maybe it’s the nostalgia of growing up near a sawmill, or maybe it’s because the smell usually means progress. I’ll go with the latter. There’s nothing like walking into a freshly built home.

After Hurricane Ida passed and daylight appeared, I could hear chainsaws roaring through the beaten trees. And the smell of sawdust wafted to my door. That’s when I knew that things would be okay.

One of those chainsaws was operated by my husband. He was making his way to the service station to gear up for the long weeks of storm recovery ahead. He’s a lineman.

As I’m writing this, he is working a 16 plus hour day. There’s a little boy who has missed his daddy greatly and a baby girl who is wondering where that tall, bearded guy is. He has been working so hard to get the lights on for everyone as has every line worker. The love that has been shown to first responders and utility workers has been so refreshing to see. It is always incredible to feel how our community comes together in times of need and it’s also a reminder of how thankful we should be.

As Thanksgiving arrives, I’m certainly grateful for the beautiful life we have built. I cannot wait to sit at the table and enjoy a meal with our loved ones. In whatever stage of storm recovery you’re in, I pray you’re able to do the same! Fitting for this season of thankfulness is the work of our cover artist James Michalopoulos. Everything he paints comes from a place of gratitude and celebration. My conversation with him left me with a sense of hopefulness and excitement for what’s to come in New Orleans. Read his story on page 14.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with those you love most! I know I certainly will. Cheers!

With love,

Contributors

Our contributors give Inside New Orleans its voice, its personality and its feel. Here we are proud to highlight a some of them so that you can put a face with a name and get to know them.

Anna Tusa

Leslie Cardé

Sue Strachan

Anna Tusa is the Director of Operations for Briquette, the Briquette Wine Room and New Orleans Creole Cookery. On page 60, Anna mixes up classic cocktails.

Veteran journalist Leslie Cardé began her career reporting for NPR in Los Angeles.

From there, she landed in New Orleans as an anchor/health and science editor before moving on to anchor three hours of daily financial news and host an entertainment show for CNBC. She’s reported from the Middle East for CNN, worked as a producer and narrator for E! Entertainment and wrote, directed and produced the award-winning documentary America Betrayed. Leslie currently writes for The New Orleans Advocate and Los Angeles Magazine. She is also a producer/ reporter for CBS Newspath. Read Leslie’s article about advances in breast care on page 31.

Sue Strachan has been writing about New Orleans culture for more than 25 years. Sue has been an editor and writer for a number of locally- based publications including Uptown/ Mid-City Messenger, St. Charles Avenue magazine, New Orleans Magazine, New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles, Preservation in Print, Louisiana Life, and was society editor for the TimesPicayune for five years. Her work has been seen internationally in Time Asia and HG magazine.

She is regularly featured on Hollywood Highlights on WWL-TV’s Great Day Louisiana. Sue is coming out with a book, Cafe Brûlot, in midSeptember. In this issue, Sue writes about the museums of the French Quarter on page 24.

Other Voices: Leah Draffen, Joni Friedmann-Lagasse, Melanie Langteau, Lorin Gaudin, Thomas B. Growden, Alison Burns Schonk and Jeff Strout.

Living Artfully

Cover Artist James Michalopoulos “YEARS FLY BY, but sometimes days are endlessly long, and weeks are moments.”

James Michalopoulos stated as we chatted the week before Hurricane Ida’s landfall. We were talking about his 35 years in New Orleans, but oh, how we can relate to this statement during hurricane recovery. A lot of our conversation was about the pandemic, the climate crisis, and how the two have affected the arts.

He says, “Living artfully in a lot of ways is about being authentic with the challenges we have. And it’s a

photo: JEFF STROUT

by Leah Draffen

14

I n side N ew Orl ean s

deepening experience to do that. Now is a challenging moment in humanity. I would love to see us rise to the occasion of responsible action so that the arts can continue to support our celebration as a community.

“We grow when we take a deep breath and face a difficulty. If we stand before it, we suddenly find out that we have the reserves to deal with it. And you don’t know that until you do.” In terms of the pandemic, James’ work is conveniently performed in isolation which posed no inhibitions for him to paint. Yet, he missed sharing his work with people. “It has been very unfortunate not having the ability to meet people in public. My life has turned toward isolation. I miss dining out, visiting with friends, all the things that come with an ordinary world. That said, it has been a rich year and a half of exploration in the world of painting, sculpture, and personal philosophical study.”

Much of James’ painting this past year came in the form of musical interpretation even in a time when New Orleans’ music scene was closed. Just as a crowd moves to the sounds of a jazz quartet, James’ painted houses and buildings dance right off the canvas giving a soul to objects that are otherwise inanimate. His music paintings, however, are naturally overflowing with soul.

With James’ broad strokes and full-of-motion perspective, you can hear Satchmo’s warm raspy voice and sonorous trumpet. Currently, the second-floor gallery of the New Orleans Jazz Museum is home to James’ >>

known about.”

Described as impassioned and expressionistic, James’ paintings of Fats Domino, Mahalia Jackson, and Aaron Neville, among many others, are recognizable with just a dash of abstraction and magic. He shares, “There’s a lot in my work that’s oriented toward seeking the essential in my subject matter. I present the heart of the matter so there’s often an almost mystical quality about it. For me, it is a mystical unfolding. I think that ‘expressionistic’ is the closest to my style because I don’t really have something that easily falls into a stylistic corner. It’s colorful, expressive, figurative, and there’s a strong level of abstraction in all of it.”

Inspiration for James’ subjects ebbs and flows day-to-day. He allows his passions to take him in different directions. “I ask myself, ‘what is exciting to me today?’ It’s a great way to orient myself. I don’t bring a lot more to it than that. I’m just totally taken by whatever I’m working on.” And when the light begins to dim, he moves on to his next subject.

“So, I’ll have a period with the sky, or blue, or architecture, or a figure, and I am totally engrossed, happy with my immersion, and my interest is piqued.

And new things unfold as I get into it.

Thankfully, the winds of passion shift a little slower until one day, you decide that while beans and rice has been wonderful for the

photos: JEFF STROUT

exhibit, From the Fat Mat to Mahalia. The retrospective spans recent scenes of street musicians to rare paintings loaned from private collections. The original painting of Louis Armstrong used for the 2001 Jazz Fest poster, which hasn’t been in Louisiana in over 20 years, is also featured.

“We have been excited to work with James Michalopoulos on this exhibition.

James brings a unique perspective that is quintessentially New Orleans,” says Greg Lambousy, Director of the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

“The exhibition pairs his music-themed paintings with instruments and other objects from our collections, exploring connections between the visual arts and music and illuminating the vibrant music scene in the lower French Quarter, a vibrancy that will return brilliant in time.”

Preparing for the exhibit, James plunged into musical archives to listen.

“For me, it was a real deep dip into our local musical history and the work of these various artists,” James says. “I would spend five or six days working on somebody. I was totally immersed in their music and discovered so much about them and how they lived their lives. It’s the kind of thing you wouldn’t necessarily do unless you were obsessed or passionately driven. It was a chance for me to broaden my own understanding.”

And a favorite? He can’t name one.

“I just have so many favorites. There were some things that were exciting to me and distinctive. For instance, I was able to spend time looking at Big Al Carson, Ernie K-Doe, Little Queenie; and those who were not headliners, but were just as much a part of New Orleans music history. I had a chance to look at their work, which was one of the richest parts about the whole experience— getting in touch with things I’ve never

last two weeks, suddenly crawfish étouffée is more exciting. Then I move on, I start looking for my next victim,” he laughs.

Over time, James’ work has loosened, and his subjects have broadened. He spends a lot more time with landscapes and figures that he once did. Color has emerged as a primary focus as well as remembering to have fun. “I am trying to remember to have fun with what I’m doing. A lot of what this art is about is celebration. It’s kind of like an expression of gratitude to the city of New Orleans.”

Further expressing his gratitude, James has been working on several projects

for the community.

For instance he is painting the Milky Way along with other scientific matters at Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy. He’s also sculpting a heart for the street front that represents the school’s compassion and commitment to people’s health and wellbeing. On the same wave, James has been working on a sculpture that explores mathematical concepts and another that’s looking at wave structure.

In addition to his sculptures and commissions, he has been concentrating on a series of paintings of the Supreme Court Building. “It’s a really beautiful building.

Of course, I’m taking my liberties, but it’s an interesting challenge. It’s the Supreme Court, right? Alone, it’s such a classical building. It’s a straight-forward structure so it’s challenging to bring movement to it. I’m having a lot of fun with it.”

And for local architecture, when he isn’t painting it, he has been working philanthropically through his Michalopoulos Foundation. The Orleania project on

St. Ferdinand, which currently provides studio workspace for 65 artists, is in the planning stages to build homes for artists.

“Our mission is to create housing and support work that honors our historic architecture and to create new projects that are respectful and contribute to our local environment. I have a concern for the loss of our identity architecturally; of us becoming ‘anywhere’.

“We have fabulously rich historical architecture. And we’re in danger of losing it to generic and out-of-scale architecture. You know what? If you lose the preciousness of this town, you will lose the vigilance.

We’ve been protected by poverty more than anything. Now it is time to be ever mindful of the importance of maintaining the fabric and integrity of our historic neighborhoods.”

In conclusion he says, “Let’s be responsive to our circumstance. I come from a life of gratitude for my city, my landscape, and the people around me. I want to preserve that. It’s so important for us as a society to rise to our challenges so that the arts can continue, thrive, and contribute all that they can.”

Visit Michalopoulos Gallery at 617 Bienville St. (504) 558-0505. michalopoulos. com. You can meet James and view From the Fat Man to Mahalia on Oct. 28, from 6-8pm, at the New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Ave. O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 0 21

17

INSIDE

October 2-30 Yoga with a Vue. Held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in partnership with Pilates and Yoga Loft Old Metairie, this all-levels yoga class led by Andree Khalaf and JoAnn Letten includes all-day admission to our historic gardens for guests who would like to stay and stroll after class. Longue Vue House and Gardens, 7 Bamboo Rd. 9:30-10:20am. longuevue.com/yoga-with-a-vue.

October

1-10 God of Carnage. This triple Tony Award-winning comedy without manners is about two sets of parents who meet up to resolve a playground fight between their sons. Westwego Performing Arts Theatre, 177 Sala Avenue, Westwego.

Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30pm; Sundays, 2pm. 885-2000. jpas.org.

2 Art Beyond Arts’ Sake. The driving force behind Art for Arts’ Sake is the 18

I n side N ew Orl ean s

philosophy that the value of art lies within the art itself and does not require any further justification. However, in light of the global and national strife that communities are facing during this current moment, we’ve decided to flip this event on its head and focus on the ability of art to nurture, to reflect, to speak, to inspire, and to heal.

As part of Art Beyond Arts’ Sakes’

photo courtesy: LONGUE VUE HOUSE & GARDENS

Yoga with a Vue

mission to highlight the power of art to transcend, galleries in the Arts District New Orleans have partnered with local charities and organizations and will be contributing a portion of their proceeds during the month of October to these organizations. Arts District. 12-7pm. artsdistrictneworleans.com.

2-30 Yoga with a Vue. Held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in partnership with Pilates and Yoga Loft Old Metairie, this all-levels yoga class led by Andree Khalaf and JoAnn Letten includes allday admission to our historic gardens for guests who would like to stay and stroll after class. Longue Vue House and Gardens, 7 Bamboo Rd. 9:30-10:20am. longuevue.com/yoga-with-a-vue.

2-Nov 3 Zona Wainwright: Intimate Conversation. Degas Gallery, 604 Julia St #101. 826-9744. thedegasgallery.com.

3 Kelsey Bradley Favrot Memorial Virtual 5K Run/Walk. The online format allows runners and walkers to support brain tumor care at LSU Neurosurgery New Orleans and completing the 5K on their own, whenever and wherever they want, prior to Oct. 3. Pre-registration, $30; race day, $35; $15 discount for youths and seniors. Registration, kelseysgoal.com.

4 Audubon Facial Plastic Surgery Magazine Street Opening. 6001 Magazine St, Ste D. 565-2779. audubonfacialplastics.com.

4, 9, 17 Irma: My Life in Music. A 90-minute documentary spotlighting the life and career of Grammy Award-winning artist Irma Thomas. The film is presented

by WYES, your local PBS member station, and produced by Michael Murphy Productions with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation. Premiering Oct. 4 at 8pm with repeats on Oct. 9 at 8 and

9:30pm, and Oct. 17 at 5:30pm. Watch on WYES-TV, wyes.org/live and on the WYES and PBS apps.

6 The Sazerac Cocktail Tasting. History and demonstration of the Sazerac Cocktail. Hosted by a Sazerac House Bar Expert. The Sazerac House, 101 Magazine St. 2-3pm. sazerachouse.com.

10 Barrel to Bottle. Bottle Your Own Sazerac Rye Whiskey hosted by House Distiller David Bock. The Sazerac House, 101 Magazine St. 5-5:45pm. sazerachouse.com.

13 Twilight at Longue Vue: Beth Patterson. Foremost a player of the eight-stringed Irish bouzouki, Lafayette native Beth Patterson brings a mixture of Celtic, Cajun, and original songs to the table. Her performances are energetic, often laced with humor and the occasional anecdote. There’s plenty of room to dance at Longue Vue, so don’t be shy! Longue Vue House and Gardens Spanish Court, 7 Bamboo Rd. 5-7pm. longuevue.com.

15 Italian Wine Dinner. Five courses.

Briquette, 701 S Peters St. $125 pp.

302-7496. briquette-nola.com.

21 Games in the Garden. Croquet, table tennis, Pimm’s Cups, and more. Gardeninspired hors d’oeurves and music by Harry Hardin Trio. Presented by Friends of Longue Vue, Games in the Gardens 2021 will support garden education for children and families in New Orleans, as Longue Vue enters a second century of engagement with our community. Longue Vue House and Gardens Spanish Court and East Lawn, 7 Bamboo Rd. 5-7pm. longuevue.com.

23 A Haunting Affair. Presented by the Women’s Guild of the New Orleans Opera Association. 2504 Prytania >> O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 0 21

19

Inside Scoop

St. Patron bash, 7pm; ghoul’s celebration, 8pm. $125$275. neworleansopera.org.

23 French Market’s Boo Carré Halloween Haunt. Enjoy live music, trick-or-treating and children’s activities. French Market, Dutch Alley.

10:30am-4:30pm. frenchmarket.org.

23-Jan 23 Prospect.5: Yesterday we said tomorrow. Given the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Prospect New Orleans’ 2021 iteration, Prospect.5: Yesterday we said tomorrow, is scheduled to open across the city in stages from late October to midNovember and will remain on view until January 23, 2022. Prospect New Orleans’s Prospect.5: Yesterday we said tomorrow is curated by Naima J. Keith and Diana Nawi, the Susan Brennan Artistic Directors of Prospect.5, and will feature the Nick Stillman, work of 51 artists and artist collectives in museums, cultural spaces, and public sites throughout New Orleans. ProspectNewOrleans.org.

24 Opera on Tap: The French Connection in Our Yard.

Opera Guild Home, 2504 Prytania St. 3pm and 5pm. neworleansopera.org.

26 Cheers to Cheese: Rum. Cheese and rum pairing hosted by Sazerac House cocktail experts and St.

20

I n side N ew Orl ean s

27

28

28

28

James Cheese Company. The Sazerac House, 101 Magazine St. 4-5pm. sazerachouse.com.

Twilight at Longue Vue: Electric Yat String Quartet.

Based in New Orleans, Electric Yat String Quartet is bringing music outdoors and online. Longue Vue House and Gardens Spanish Court, 7 Bamboo Rd. 5-7pm. longuevue.com.

Finest Around the Lake Gala. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will be honoring Louisiana’s Finest, who show exemplary leadership, are active in their community, and have excelled in their profession, business or personal lives. Fleur De Lis Event Rental Center, 1645 N Causeway Blvd, Mandeville. 7pm. cff. org/NewOrleans.

Hancock Whitney Zoo-To-Do. The 43rd annual Hancock Whitney Zoo-To-Do will celebrate Audubon’s conservation efforts for whooping cranes during a social-distancing-friendly fundraiser. Music by Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Electric Yat Quartet with Andre Bohren, and Cajun Music Preservation Society. Luxury raffles and exquisite food and drinks.

Audubon Zoo. 7-11pm. audubonnatureinstitute.org.

High School Open House. Ursuline Academy, 2635 State St. 861-1106. go.uanola.org.

28 Inside New Orleans Meet the Artist Party.

Meet October-November 2021 Cover Artist James Michalopoulos. New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Ave. 6-8pm. insideneworleansmagazine.com.

November

1-3 Zona Wainwright: Intimate Conversation.

Degas Gallery, 604 Julia St #101. 826-9744. thedegasgallery.com.

1-Jan 23 Prospect.5: Yesterday we said tomorrow.

Prospect New Orleans’ 2021 iteration, Prospect.5: Yesterday we said tomorrow, is scheduled to open across the city in stages from late October to midNovember and will remain on view until January 23, 2022. Prospect New Orleans’s Prospect.5: Yesterday we said tomorrow is curated by Naima J. Keith and Diana Nawi, the Susan Brennan Artistic Directors of Prospect.5, and will feature the Nick Stillman, work of 51 artists and artist collectives in museums, cultural spaces, and public sites throughout New Orleans.

ProspectNewOrleans.org.

2 De La Salle Open House for 8th-12th. Tour the only Catholic co-ed high school serving New Orleans. 5300

St. Charles Ave. 4-7pm. 895-5717. delasallenola.com.

4-6 Taste of Fashion Week. A fashion and beauty experience presented by New Orleans Fashion Week.

Various locations. neworleansfashionweek.com.

4 WARdrobe - Fashions on the rations. The National WWII Museum, 945 Magazine St. 6pm. neworleansfashionweek.com.

4 A Vintage Fashion Experience. NOPSI Above the Grid, 317 Baronne St. 8pm. neworleansfashionweek.com.

5 Meet & Greet with Project Runway Season 19 Designer Aaron Michael. Diamonds Direct, 3230 Severn Ave, Metairie. 4pm. neworleansfashionweek.com.

5 The LUXE is Experience. Location TBA. 8pm. neworleansfashionweek.com.

6 Designer Showcase. Featuring Southern Based Designers. Gallier Hall, 545 St Charles Ave. Doors, 6pm; show, 7pm. neworleansfashionweek.com.

6 a Sel·fie Indulgence Experience. ARTmazing Gallery, 309 Decatur St. 9pm. neworleansfashionweek.com.

6-7 43rd Annual Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival. Presented by Blue Moon. Downtown Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Peterandersonfestival.com.

9-14 Tootsie. This laugh-out-loud love letter to the theater tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a >>

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 0 21

21

Inside Scoop talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime. Presented by the New Orleans Theatre Association, TOOTSIE is part of the Hancock Whitney Broadway in New Orleans 2021-2022 season. Saenger Theatre, 1111 Canal St. Tickets starting at $31. (800) 9822787. BroadwayInNewOrleans.com.

12 Zoo-To-Do for Kids. Presented by Children’s Hospital New Orleans.

Join in the fun! Don’t miss live entertainment for kids of all ages!

Audubon Zoo. Early admission, 4pm; general admission, 5pm. $25-$40. audubonnatureinstitute.org.

14 The Golden Gala. Boys Hope Girls Hope’s Golden Gala supports its mission to nurture and guide motivated young people in need to become well-educated, career-ready, men and women for others.

Botanical Gardens. Patron party, 12:30pm; gala, 2pm. 484-7744. bhghnola.org.

20 2021 New Orleans Heart Walk. Lasalle Park, Metairie. 8:30am. Register online at neworleansheartwalk.org.

Looking Ahead

Dec 1 St. Scholastica Academy Dove Market. Pop-up and online holiday shopping. St. Scholastica Academy Gym, 122 S. Massachusetts St, Covington. 4-8pm. ssacad.org.

Dec 4 Improvisations Gala. Featuring performances from local musicians, art displays, light shows, auction items and experiences, food from local restaurants, drinks and more. New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Ave. Nolajazzmuseum.org/gala.

Dec 3,4 Eye Wares Magazine Street Grand Opening. Eye Wares is celebrating a new storefront on Magazine Street. Dec. 3, private opening; Dec. 4, open to the public. 6001 Magazine St. eyewaresnola.com.

NOTE: All dates and events are subject to change or cancellation. Send your event information to scoopINOLA@gmail.com to have it featured in an upcoming issue of Inside New Orleans.

22

I n side N ew Orl ean s

School Scoop DELGADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE Delgado has been a leader in online education for more than 15 years, and always offers a large variety of online classes, as well as “hybrid” classes that are part online and part face-to-face. While on campus classes have resumed, enrollment services at Delgado are completely virtual! Students can visit the Online Welcome Desk for help with all matters related to enrollment. Delgado offers live chat and virtual appointments in addition to email and phone options to assist with scheduling classes, applying and checking on the status of financial aid, checking the status of an application for admission, and registering for classes through the LoLA online system. Located at 615 City Park Ave. 671- 5000. dcc.edu.

KEHOE-FRANCE SCHOOL SOUTHSHORE At Kehoe-France School, children are nurtured in a warm and welcoming environment. With small class sizes in a secure and picturesque environment, our degreed and certified staff encourage our students to explore their curiosities. As an authorized International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme and candidate for Middle School Programme, Kehoe-France is focused on providing an inquiry- based approach to learning. Our students are actively engaged in their development, education, and activities.

They focus not only on the academic fundamentals but also a child’s physical health and wellness through expansive athletic programs, exposure to the fine arts through classes and clubs, and a commitment to a service as a school community. Facilities are newly renovated with more improvements to come. Kehoe-France School invites everyone to come tour with us and take those first steps onto the path to success. Located at 720 Elise Ave. in Metairie. 7330472. kehoe-france.com.

URSULINE ACADEMY Diverse by design, Ursuline believes that appreciating and learning from people with different perspectives is how they build a better world. For many girls, Ursuline can be the first place they meet people with different backgrounds, beliefs and talents.

The academy celebrates girls for who they are and elevates their confidence to influence the world. They learn from each other, celebrate each other and raise each other up. Here, girls gain a deeper understanding of themselves and how to be successful in a global society. Through interactive experiences tailored to girls’ interests, Ursuline students learn how to think deeper, communicate clearly and solve problems independently and collaboratively. At Ursuline, STEM and the arts are equal partners in powering the girls’ education. They believe that creative thinking - a key to 21st century success - is best nurtured when young brains explore both analytical and imaginative ideas. High school open house, October 28, 4-6pm.

Early childhood and elemenarty tours available by appointment.

Located at 2635 State Street. 861-1106. go.uanola.org.

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 0 21

23

Days and Nights at the French Quarter Museums

by Sue Strachan

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME you took a stroll through the French Quarter, but looked at it through the lens of history and culture? OK, that probably doesn’t make sense, because this New Orleans neighborhood is worldfamous for showcasing these elements — and depending on where you go, it’s more ribald side — almost every moment of the day and night.

Instead of dining, shopping, dancing or enjoying libations (which you should do anyway!) take some time to immerse yourself even more via museums where you can learn about the French Quarter’s architecture, culture, art, music, Carnival, and religion, including voodoo.

Because these museums have a vast array of items of interest, I asked them to highlight some notable objects or an exhibition coming up. I am also throwing in some ghost stories for fun! Where else in the U.S. can you see a real estate sign outside a building that says it’s “Haunted” or “Not Haunted”? For the haunting tales, I turned to Toast Korozsia, a tour guide with Haunted History Tours.

LOUISIANA STATE MUSEUM: ENGAGING THE SENSES OF HISTORY The Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans encompasses the Cabildo, Presbytere, 1850 House, New Orleans Jazz Museum at Old U.S. Mint, and Madame John’s Legacy, which is currently closed due to renovations.

While the buildings on their own are integral to the city’s

24

I n side N ew Orl ean s

history — the Cabildo was where the Louisiana Purchase was finalized — the exhibitions expand our understanding of what made New Orleans what it is today.

I contacted Music Curator David Kunian at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint, who said one of the most important pieces is the cornet Louis Armstrong played when he was in the Colored Waif’s Home. This is an important artifact as the cornet was the start of him becoming a serious musician. It is currently on view in New Orleans Music Observed: The Art of Noel Rockmore & Emilie Rhys and will stay on display after.

Museum Historian Joyce A. Miller chose a few things visitors should look for while visiting the Cabildo, Presbytere and 1850 House.

At the Cabildo, Miller highlighted Napoleon’s death mask, made from a mold of Napoleon’s face 40 hours after he died on May 5, 1821. Dr. Francesco Antommarchi presented it to the city shortly after he arrived in 1834.

Though it is attributed to Antommarchi, some believe Francis Burton, a surgeon with the British army, cast it.

And, don’t forget to see “The Battle of New Orleans” painting by Eugène Louis Lami, painted in 1839 and in the exhibition, From “Dirty Shirts” to Buccaneers: The Battle of New Orleans in American Culture exhibition.

At the Presbytere is the model of Mississippi RiverGulf Outlet (MR-GO), part of the Living with Hurricanes: Katrina & Beyond exhibition. The model was created by Charles “Pete” Savoye in 1994 to demonstrate the effects it could have on St. Bernard Parish and the Lower Ninth Ward. Savoye campaigned to close the navigational pathway but failed. His prediction of mass flooding due to a storm came true when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed it in 2009.

Mardi Gras Indians tell stories through their costumes, and in the exhibition, Mystery in Motion: African American Masking and Spirituality in Mardi Gras, it is the suit, “The Last Supper and Crucifixion,” designed, made and worn by Alfred Doucette, Big Chief of the Flaming Arrows, ca. 2000, that depicts the final hours of Jesus.

The 1850 House, also located like the Cabildo and Presbytere in Jackson Square, has installed an immersive soundscape, which plays inside the museum. Visitors can “earwitness” fictional conversations amongst the Cammack family and their enslaved laborers, who actually occupied the house from 1850 to 1853. The production is collaboration between the museum and Goat in the Road Productions.

Ghost Story: Neither Kunian or Miller have seen them. But Trout Korozsia recounts that the Cabildo, which was once a jail, has a ghost of a hanged British soldier, as well as ghosts who tug on visitors’ clothing while they are

photo courtesy: NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MUSEUM

A dive into what makes them so special—and ghost stories!

photo courtesy: GALLIER HOUSE photo courtesy: THE SAZERAC HOUSE

walking around. At the Presbytere, he said there is a janitor who hangs out. The Old U.S. Mint has ghosts of soldiers who were stationed there when it was originally a fort in the late 18th, early 19th centuries. (The current building was constructed in 1835.)

SAZERAC HOUSE: WHERE COCKTAIL CULTURE IS A MAIN INGREDIENT The Sazerac House is a great place to add to your museum tour, located just across the street to the entrance of the French Quarter.

The museum, which opened in 2019, is in a threestory building originally constructed in the 1860s. The displays tell the story of New Orleans through cocktails, including elements such as the most Southern of liquors and ingredients — rye whiskey and Peychaud’s bitters — and how they were was an integral part to the creation of the the Sazerac, as well as other cocktails.

What visitors don’t want to miss are the museum’s virtual bartenders, who represent the four types of bars you might find in New Orleans and show step-by-step >>

Above: The Gallier House dining room.

Left: The entrance to The Sazerac House.

Opposite: Sierra Green and the Soul Machine’s sax player during a balcony show at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 0 21

25

photos courtesy: THE HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION

Top: This Benjamin Henry Latrobe watercolor, perhaps ca. 1819, depicts his design for gates to adorn New Orleans’s Place d’Armes, now Jackson Square.

The city council rejected the design as too expensive.

The watercolor, a recent acquisition, is on view in The History of the French Quarter Galleries.

(THNOC, gift made possible by Krista and Mike Dumas, 2021.0049) Inset: This is copy print of a Benjamin H. B. Latrobe portrait, ca. between 1950 and 1973.

The portrait, ca.

1804, is credited to Charles Willson Peale. (THNOC, 1974.25.27.225) 26

the process of making different cocktails.

Another unique element of the museum is that it is the first to legally distill whiskey in the New Orleans’ Central Business District, offering guests a chance to not only sample, but also be a part of the distilling process for Sazerac Rye Whiskey.

The museum also hosts special events each month, with one that includes bottling your own Sazerac Rye Whiskey. (It’s not too early to think about holiday gifts!)

Ghost story: Quite possibly. Because the building is more than 150 years old, there are bound to be some wandering around – plus what New Orleans ghost can resist a spirited place?

underrepresented in history,” she says, highlighting the artistry of plaster and millwork, brick masonry and ironwork.

Ghost story: The staff at the museum keeps a “ghost” book of all of the sightings, with a woman in white who hangs out in the courtyard being mentioned a lot, as well as a man in the first floor who sits in a rocking chair. Keyes’ dog, Lucky, haunts her former office, while her cat Caroline — whose headstone is in the courtyard — has been known to brush up against people there. Irvin added there is even a considerate ghost: she said when she was “super pregnant,” the swinging door that is always shut was always open for her when she came to that part of the house.

BEAUREGARD-KEYES HISTORIC HOUSE & GARDEN: MAKING THE RIGHT MOVES The house — with its beautiful exterior and garden — is a portal to so many stories that include chess champion Paul Morphy, who reputedly was born and learned chess here; former Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard briefly rented it post-Civil War; members of the Black Hand (early Mafia) lost a dispute; a World War II canteen entertained troops, and a noted author Frances Parkinson Keyes made it her preservation cause. And that is just scratching the surface.

The museum’s Executive Director Annie Irvin and her staff are working to preserve the house — built in 1826 — as well as open it up to new interpretations.

“We want to present a multi-faceted history in the stories that we tell,” says Irvin.

“To be a reflection of the neighborhood, digging deep in a way to present the house, as it is a really interesting and unique example of American and Creole designs, and that it was owned by Creoles, Italians, Swiss, and Mrs. Keyes.”

Irvin, who was joined at the interview by House Manager and Program Director Chris Fountain, added that the museum also tells “the stories of the enslaved people and the free people of color…to talk about architecture and the people who built the French Quarter and why they are

ARNAUD’S GERMAINE CAZENAVE WELLS MARDI GRAS MUSEUM: MORE RHINESTONES THAN IN DOLLY PARTON’S CLOSET Arnaud’s restaurant founder Count Arnaud Cazenave — he was self-proclaimed royalty — passed along his love for royal trappings to his daughter, Germaine Cazenave Wells, who was the queen of more than 22 Carnival balls.

Unique items: In the restaurant’s Mardi Gras Museum, 13 of Wells’ gowns are joined by other regal regalia, including four king costumes worn by the Count, children’s costumes, krewe invitations and party favors, jewelry and historic photographs. The rarest ensembles are the 1939 Hermes King costume worn by the Count and a 1941 Iris Queen’s costume worn by Lady Irma Cazenave, the Count’s wife and Wells’ mother.

Ghost story: Our recommendation is to meander around the museum after dining or sipping cocktails at its adjacent bar, French 75. You might see the Wells’ ghost!

I n side N ew Orl ean s

HERMANN-GRIMA + GALLIER HISTORIC HOUSES: TWO ERAS, DUAL IDENTITIES These two 19th-century residences provide engaging glimpses into two different eras of New Orleans: Hermann-Grima was built in 1831 for Samuel Hermann, >>

perhaps ca. 1819, depicts the decorative gates that were to adorn Place d’Armes, better known now as Jackson Square — which celebrated its 300th anniversary in August.

Latrobe, a noted architect, designed it to dress up the square for a visit from Gen. Lafayette (Marquis de Lafayette) in 1825. The plans, which illustrate classical arches and decorative wrought iron railings, were not adopted by the city council — as they were deemed too expensive.

Ghost story: They aren’t telling! But Latrobe’s “ghost” gate drawing will be haunting the museum’s The History of the French Quarter Galleries exhibit.

MORE MUSEUMS! Because I was writing this article just as Hurricane Ida hit New Orleans and the surrounding area, I was not able to contact — or follow-up for my deadline — with the following museums, which are worth a visit!

New Orleans Pharmacy Museum: Apothecary jars, tools of the pharmacy trade and other medical items. photo courtesy: LOUISIANA STATE MUSEUM

while Gallier House was completed in 1860 and was designed by noted architect, James Gallier, Jr. The architecture and interiors of the house museums are reflective of those eras, telling two different, though sometimes similar stories, of the city’s past.

Telling a tale: Part of the story is death and in October, Gallier House is hosting a Creole Death and Mourning tour, which focuses on the 19th-century customs surrounding mourning and death in New Orleans, and Saturdays in October will feature a Save Our Cemeteries guide who will talk about burial customs.

Another story is that of the enslaved in the French Quarter, and the new Urban Enslavement in New Orleans tour at the Hermann-Grima House will educate visitors about the experience of enslaved women, men and children in urban settings and how they differentiate from that of rural plantations.

Hermann-Grima House itself was part of a story: the residence in Anne Rice’s “The Feast of All Saints” was based

to historians, stocks, possibly including this one, were mounted on a platform in the Place d’Armes, where prisoners—wearing placards inscribed with their names and offenses—were confined in them.

This artifact is in the Louisiana State Museum’s Cabildo.

Right: HermannGrima House.

Opposite: Germaine Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum.

HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION: A VALUABLE RESOURCE The Historic New Orleans Collection focuses on the minutiae and broader historical and cultural themes of New Orleans and the Gulf South.

Founded in 1966, its complex of buildings encompass permanent and revolving exhibitions, as well as the Williams Resource Center — invaluable for anyone doing research on the city. The home of museum benefactors, Leila Moore Williams and General L. Kemper Williams, is not currently on view, but is an interesting glimpse to how a home would look in the 1940s and ‘50s. Also, don’t forget to check out its online publication, “First Draft: Stories from the Historic New Orleans Collection,” for articles by museum staff that give a dynamic new look at museum artifacts.

Unique Item: Everything is unique here, but let’s check out a recent acquisition: Benjamin Henry Latrobe’s design for gates for Place d’Armes. Latrobe’s ink and watercolor,

28 side NNew 28 I nI nside ewOrl Orlean ea ns s

photo courtesy: HERMANN-GRIMA HOUSE

on it.

Ghost story: While I was told there hasn’t been any ghost sightings, I can share that when I was an intern at Gallier House during college, a workman saw a woman dressed up in 19th-century attire go past him – and the museum was closed.

Over at Hermann-Grima house, Toast Korozsia says there have been sightings of an enslaved woman in the courtyard by the outdoor kitchen. And while in the house, most people have experienced an olfactory haunting, possibly smelling Mrs. Grima’s – or another female ghost’s Above: According – perfume.

Devoted to pharmaceutical arts, it is truly a different look at the city’s past. It is set in the home and shop of Louis J. Dufilho, the first licensed pharmacist in New Orleans, who passed the required pharmacist’s test in 1816.

New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum: Learn about voodoo at this museum that showcases this religious practice, as well as its relation to the city’s history.

Museum at the Old Ursuline Convent: As the oldest building in the Mississippi Valley, the Ursuline Convent was completed in 1752-1753, the exhibitions reflect the history of Catholicism in New Orleans. Along with St. Louis Cathedral and St. Mary’s Church, it makes up the Catholic Cultural Heritage Center of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

photo: BRIAN HUFF, COURTESY OF ARNAUD’S

Arnaud’s Germaine Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum 813 Bienville St. arnaudsrestaurant.com Beauregard-Keyes Historic House & Garden 1113 Chartres St. bkhouse.org Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses 820 St. Louis St., 1132 Royal St. hgghh.org Louisiana State Museum: Cabildo, Presbytere, 1850 House, and New Orleans Jazz Museum at Old U.S. Mint louisianastatemuseum.org Museum at the Old Ursuline Convent 1112 Chartres St. stlouiscathedral.org/convent-museum New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum 724 Dumaine St. voodoomuseum.com New Orleans Pharmacy Museum 514 Chartres St. pharmacymuseum.org Sazerac House 101 Magazine St. sazerachouse.com The Historic New Orleans Collection 520 and 533 Royal St. hnoc.org Visit the museums’ websites for days and hours of operation.

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 021

29

Cancer Awareness

Advances in Breast Cancer Care

WHEN ANGELINA JOLIE CHOSE to have a prophylactic double mastectomy in 2013, despite not being diagnosed with breast cancer, it left many wondering why. Jolie had learned she had a genetic mutation called BRCA, which put her at a heightened risk for breast cancer. Many more women since that time have opted to have the same procedure in order to ensure that breast cancer would not be a part of their future, and have chosen to have all breast tissue removed.

For patient Sarah Olivier, it would be a different genetic syndrome which put her at risk for a variety of cancers, including breast cancer. Because her aunt had breast cancer at the age of 43, Sarah began getting mammograms at the age of 35. With dense breast tissue, there were always questions as to whether the mammogram could be a definitive diagnosis, so radiologists would recommend an ultrasound and often an MRI, as well. Suspicious lesions would often involve biopsies in which small pieces of tissue were removed for analysis. Over the next 12 years, Olivier would have five biopsies because of suspicious radiology. Every time she waited for the results, it was agonizing.

“At that point, I decided to have genetic testing, which was done in December 2019,” remembers Olivier. “The genetic testing came back positive for Lynch syndrome, a rare condition that put me at a much greater risk for many cancers, including breast. I went to see my ob/gyn doctor, who referred me to breast surgeon Dr. John Colfry, who told me he had rarely seen a patient who had already had five biopsies, and that I was quite literally a walking time

photo: MILESTONE PHOTOGRAPHY MELANIE LANGTEAU

by Leslie Cardé

bomb.”

In this particular patient’s case, not only was there the genetic component, but her family history created an exponential problem. Not only was her aunt an issue, but Olivier’s own mother had been diagnosed years earlier with colon cancer---another Lynch syndrome cancer.

“Genetic testing has become much more sophisticated of late,” says Colfry. “Twenty years ago we tested for the BRCA 1 and 2 genes. These days there are nearly 40 gene mutations that we can find... among them Lynch syndrome. It’s not one of the common ones, and breast cancer is certainly on the spectrum, but not as strong as colon cancer. However, her strong family history along with that gene mutation caught my attention.”

Mastectomies, once upon a time, were disfiguring. >>

Drs. John Colfry and Ravi Tandon.

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 0 21

31

Cancer Awareness Reconstructive techniques were not as sophisticated, and the old radical mastectomies included removal of underarm lymph nodes and chest muscles. Nowadays, only the tissue from the breast itself is taken, and the nipple and surrounding areola are spared whenever possible.

The empty cavity is then filled with either tissue from the patient’s abdomen, or additionally from an inner thigh, depending upon how much tissue is needed and how much the patient has to spare. And, an implant is often tucked away in the fat layers, making it a hybrid or composite procedure. The scars are all hidden underneath the new breast.

“Trends have changed considerably to a much more natural type of reconstruction,” says Dr. Ravi Tandon, a fellowship trained microsurgical breast reconstruction specialist or artist. “Breast replacement surgery avoids the necessity of radiation, which is required with a lumpectomy which only removes the cancerous tissue. But, with this particular kind of reconstruction, to give the patient the most natural look, we must decide if indeed the patient has enough surplus abdominal tissue and much like in a cosmetic tummy tuck, we take the excess skin, and use it to fill the new breast. Breast cancer will not return to nonbreast tissue obtained from the abdomen, thigh, or lower back.”

Advances in implants have made them safer, which is

of primary importance. For decades, breast enhancement, a cosmetic procedure, has used both saline and silicone implants. There were pros and cons to each. Silicone always looked more natural, but a rupture could spread silicone throughout the bloodstream. Saline was safer, but didn’t have the preferred cosmetic result. Newer implants have the best of both worlds.

“They are made of a highly cohesive silicone gel, as opposed to a liquid,” says Dr. Tandon. “The material stays together like a gummy bear, so if there is some sort of trauma to the breast, the material won’t travel anywhere.

But, when considering whether to use an implant, the age of the patient should be considered. The life of an implant, statistically, is around 20 years, at which time it would need to be replaced, so it’s not always practical in very young patients, and should be discussed with each individual.”

Sadly, women are contracting breast cancer at increasingly younger ages. In general, it’s become more prevalent over the decades, but to see very young patients is startling, even for the medical breast experts.

“We see a massive younger population of late,” says Dr. Colfry. “It’s rampant, actually. It’s not unexpected to see women with cancer in their 50’s, 60’s or 70’s. But, we are now seeing lots of women in their 30’s, and we currently have a patient who is 21 years old, and just had a double mastectomy, because her chances of getting another cancer

photo: MILESTONE PHOTOGRAPHY MELANIE LANGTEAU

Drs. John Colfry and Ravi Tandon.

were high.”

Statistics show that the percentage of breast cancers are indeed rising, although no one is sure exactly why.

Speculation points to the environment, diet, and obesity, but nothing is certain. What is certain is that the risk of breast cancer used to be one out of 10 women. The current percentage rate is 12.3%, nearly one out of every eight women.

What Drs. Tandon and Colfry both know is that although the numbers may be going in the wrong direction, new technology has afforded both patients diagnosed with cancer and those who choose mastectomies as a preventive method, results that had never been possible just a short time ago. Many patients feel they look just as they did before their surgeries, or even better, considering that the by-product of the mastectomy is often a tummy tuck and a >>

photo: MILESTONE PHOTOGRAPHY MELANIE LANGTEAU

Cancer Awareness

Drs. John Colfry and Ravi Tandon with patient Sarah Olivier.

34

breast lift.

“I had all the concerns you would expect when debating about prophylactically having my breasts removed,” remembers Olivier. “Since I hadn’t actually been diagnosed with cancer, I had lots of time to research the latest techniques and the best surgeons. I knew I wanted to look like I did before the surgery. I am 49 years old, and still wanted to wear the clothing I had been accustomed to without looking disfigured. And, I didn’t want the numbness that has long been associated with this surgery, so I looked for a reconstructive surgeon who would address all of my issues.”

“During a mastectomy, everything is removed, including nerves,” recounts Dr. Tandon. “Microsurgical techniques have improved markedly over the years. Six months ago, I wasn’t reconnecting nerves, but now I am. I connect from the nipple stump where there had previously been a nerve, find sensory nerves in the abdominal tissue and connect them together. Regeneration takes time.

Nerves grow at a rate of about a millimeter a day. So, a breast takes about 18 months to get sensation back.

The data coming out of Memorial Sloan-Kettering has

I n side N ew Orl ean s

shown encouraging results on this next frontier. We as reconstructive surgeons have primarily been concerned about what the new breasts will look like, and now it’s about what they feel like, as well.”

For Sarah Olivier, whose surgery included nerve grafts, it’s a wait and see game. But, so far, her surgery which took place seven months ago, looks promising.

“I was evaluated with the representative from Resensation, (a company that develops techniques for nerve regeneration),” explains Olivier. “I was put through a battery of tests to figure out where I had sensation and just how much. Since I was only a matter of months, postop, I was told I had a lot of sensation. I think people need to understand that this isn’t just about erotic sensation.

Without feeling in your breasts, you can burn yourself and not know it because the area is numb. You can come out of your bathing suit, and not be aware of it. I considered this to be a very necessary and worthwhile procedure, and it only added about 30 minutes of operating room time to my surgery.”

For the team of Colfry and Tandon, who have worked together as a team for about six years now, their training is stellar by any measure. Dr. John Colfry is among a few elite breast surgical oncologists in our entire region. Following medical school at LSU in Shreveport, he completed general surgery training at Atlanta Medical Center, then specialized in surgical breast oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Dr. Ravi Tandon is one of a very few microsurgical fellowship-trained plastic and reconstructive surgeons in New Orleans. After medical school at Vanderbilt University and general surgery training at Tulane University, he specialized in plastic surgery at Albert Einstein College in New York City. He then completed a microsurgery fellowship at NYU, focusing on advanced microsurgical breast reconstruction techniques.

A breast cancer diagnosis can be frightening. Finding out you have a heightened susceptibility for breast cancer due to a genetic mutation can be equally so. However, the road can be much less bumpy in the hands of skilled, compassionate professionals.

“I am 100% relieved that I made the decision to have a preventive double mastectomy,” points out Olivier.

“And, I couldn’t have asked for a better team, including all of the nurses involved. I got a notification recently, as I do every six months, that it was time to schedule another imaging of my breasts. I called them back and told them to take me off of their list.... permanently! Living without that looming anxiety any longer means absolutely everything.”

For more information, visit ravitandonmd.com or call Dr. Tandon’s office at 504-455-1000. Call Dr. Colfry’s office at (504) 325-2900, or visit his website at lcmchealth.org/ physician-directory/alfred-colfry-iii-md/.

Contact reporter Leslie Cardé at leslieinolamag@gmail.com.

Is the Spot on Your Eye Cancerous?

Wherever your body produces melanin, you can have a freckle or a mole. Your eye is no exception! When a mole or freckle appears on your eye, the spot is called a nevus. Just like any dermatological concern, once you detect a nevus, you need to monitor the spot annually to make sure it does not develop into a type of cancer called ocular melanoma.

Dr. Lauren Agnew, OD, owner of Eye Wares, says a comprehensive eye exam creates a baseline to monitor possible signs of eye cancer. “If you have a nevus, don’t panic,” she says. “Think of your eye exam as something similar to a dermatological examination of a specific nevus.

Only an eye doctor can discover a nevus in the back of your eye. Through a dilated exam or Optos photography we can compare each year’s photos that are automatically saved to your chart. It’s important to have baselines when we monitor potential signs of ocular melanoma.”

How to Spot Ocular Melanoma According to the Kellogg Eye Center, 5-10% of the population have at least one nevus, a non-harmful mole located on the eye. Most nevi are not dangerous, but a small percentage can develop into ocular melanoma. This risk increases along with the size and location of the nevus. A nevus is not always visible unless you have a dilated exam

Ocular Melanoma

A Healthy Nevus

or Optos photography, which is why regular eye exams are so important, especially if you have a family history of skin cancer.

Your optometrist will either dilate or perform fundus photography (serial photographs taken of the interior of your eye) to detect and evaluate developing nevi. This is why, even if you have perfect vision, it is so important to schedule regular eye exams to monitor your vision as well as your eye health. And if the nevus is changing, it may be cancerous.

Treatment for Ocular Melanoma Ocular melanoma is the most common variety of cancer in the adult eye. It can lead to dangerous and even fatal complications if not identified and treated immediately.

Specifically, ocular melanomas metastasize very quickly to the liver but can spread to any organ in the body. One of the questions Dr. Agnew hears most often is, “Why can’t you just surgically remove a nevus?”

“You don’t surgically remove a nevus unless it becomes an ocular melanoma. You can surgically remove eye melanomas, but our goal is to identify the ocular melanoma immediately, so the patient still has the chance to treat the cancer with radiation or laser therapy,” she says. “Cutting out an eye melanoma can result in a black

spot in your vision and is considered a last resort.”

The following are the most common treatments for ocular melanoma: • Radiation Therapy. A common treatment for eye melanoma, radiation therapy uses high-energy x-ray treatment to eliminate cancer cells.

• Laser Therapy. Transpupillary thermotherapy is primarily used to treat very small melanomas. The treatment heats and kills the tumor directly using infrared light.

• Surgery. Surgical removal of eye melanoma is typically considered necessary only when the eye has already been severely damaged by the tumor.

About Dr. Lauren Agnew Dr. Agnew owns Eye Wares in Mandeville, Old Metairie, and Uptown, New Orleans (opening Fall 2021). She is a Louisiana native and a graduate of Tulane University. She completed her Doctor of Optometry degree at Southern College of Optometry and has been serving the Greater New Orleans community ever since.

Eye Wares has over 20 years of experience providing the Greater New Orleans area with friendly, advanced eye care services and fashionable independent and designer frames. You can schedule your eye exam online at EyeWaresNola.com. Most major insurance accepted.

To book your appointment with Eye Wares scan QR code below.

6001 Magazine Street, New Orleans • 504-571-5623 800 Metairie Road, Suite Q, Metairie • (504) 301-1726 3601 U.S. Hwy 190, Mandeville • (985) 624-3314

Scan to book appointment with Eye Wares.

Cancer Awareness

Thibodaux Regional Health System’s State-of-the-Art Cancer Institute MORE THAN 25 YEARS AGO Thibodaux Regional Health System made a strong commitment to provide the best cancer care possible to the people of the Bayou Region.

That commitment continued when Thibodaux Regional broke ground on a new four story, 80,000-square-foot cancer care facility in 2019.

“The construction of the new Cancer Institute marks another milestone in the history of Thibodaux Regional and our cancer program,” says Greg Stock, Thibodaux Regional Health System CEO. “We are excited to open a premier facility that will continue to provide patients with high quality cancer care close to home.”

The new state-of-the-art Cancer Institute will accommodate the growth that Thibodaux Regional is experiencing as well as position the health system for the future of cancer care. Designed with the patient in mind, the Institute will feature an open design with lots of natural light and soothing decor that creates a warm and caring healing environment. The innovative and technologically advanced facility will include radiation therapy and chemotherapy infusion, medical and radiation oncology clinics, clinic space for visiting oncology specialists, an education center, an activity center, a 36

I n side N ew Orl ean s

library, a diagnostics center, a laboratory, an onsite pharmacy, a conference center and a chapel.

The Cancer Institute will also further integrate wellness services with the latest treatments, and is an important element in achieving Thibodaux Regional’s ongoing vision to improve the health and wellness of the region. Statistics show Louisiana as having one of the highest incidences and mortality rates in the country for breast, colorectal, prostate and lung cancers, which are the most prevalent in the bayou region.

“When a patient is diagnosed with cancer, we have a multidisciplinary team who works together to ensure every patient receives the best treatment possible,” continues Stock. “The new Cancer Institute will help foster greater collaboration and communication among physicians and care providers to enhance and save lives.”

Construction of the new Cancer Institute is currently on schedule and should be completed by early November.

While the new facility is being built, patients continue to receive outstanding care in an adjacent building that was renovated to accommodate clinic and treatment areas.

Learn more at thibodaux.com.

photo courtesy: THIBODAUX REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM

New Center to Provide Latest Innovations in Care and Clinical Services

Cancer Awareness

Resources

Cancer is often a topic no one wants to discuss. Yet, it’s important to know who to call for prevention and treament. The below is a list of resources available to Greater New Orleans.

American Cancer Society

cancer.org One in three people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. If you’ve been recently diagnosed, or know someone who has, the American Cancer Society has answers, guidance, and support.

Aesthetic Surgical Associates

Stephen Eric Metzinger, M.D., M.S.P.H., F.A.C.S. 3717 Houma Blvd., Metairie 504-226-8200 Stephen Eric Metzinger, M.D., M.S.P.H., F.A.C.S. can use his experience and expertise to enhance your appearance with cosmetic plastic surgery, while our warm office atmosphere can make you feel at home.

Audubon Facial Plastic Surgery

Dr. Claire Melancon 6001 Magazine Street, Ste D 504-565-2779 audubonfacialplastics.com Facial plastic surgeon Dr. Claire Melancon offers a concierge, boutique New Orleans experience through holistic, patient-centered treatment plans that revitalize the face, body, and mind.

Eye Wares

Dr. Lauren Agnew, OD Mandeville, Metairie and (coming soon) Uptown 504-301-1726 eyewaresnola.com Dr. Lauren Agnew, OD, owner of Eye Wares, says a comprehensive eye exam creates a baseline to monitor possible signs of eye cancer. Call Eye Wares to schedule your exam today.

Family Dermatology Specialists, LLC

3421 N Causeway Blvd., Ste. 202, Metairie 504-832-6612 Family Dermatology is now offering the new SRT-100 Vision™, a high-frequency ultra-sound guidance system to non-invasively treat non melanoma skin cancers.

Benefits include a 99% cure rate and no cutting, bleeding or scarring.

38

I n side N ew Orl ean s

New Orleans Aesthetics

Dr. Zeena Al-Dujaili 3434 Prytania Street, Suite 420, New Orleans 504-475-1000 neworleansaesthetics.com New Orleans Aesthetics treats a variety of conditions from minor skin irritations to complex skin cancer surgery for patients of all ages.

The Skin Surgery Centre

Keith LeBlanc, Jr., M.D. Elizabeth Bucher, M.D. R. Corey Rougelot, M.D. 1615 Metairie Rd. #101, Metairie 504-644-4226 theskinsurgerycentre.com The Skin Surgery Centre specialize in providing toplevel surgical and cosmetic treatments for skin cancers and other skin issues that maximize the health and appearance of your skin.

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

602 N. Acadia Rd., Thibodaux 985-447-5500 thibodaux.com At Thibodaux Regional, you are not a number – you are someone who will be treated with respect, cared for with compassion, and treated kindly.

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2021

39

Flourishes

1

1. Capital Lighting Fixture Company Bianca 6-light pendant with black rope and patinaed brass finish. Southland Plumbing Supply, Metairie, 504-835-8411; Mandeville, 985-893-8883. 2. Sazerac Mixology Bar Kit. Includes: Japanese-style jigger (2 oz./1 oz), shaker tins (28 oz. & 18 oz), bar spoon, and strainer. $75. Sazerac House, 910-0100, sazerachouse.com. 3. Hilltop’s favorite fall party hat! . Hilltop Shoppe, 533-9670, hilltopshoppe.com.

2

3

40

I n side N ew Orl ean s

4

5

4. DefenAge is the only skincare with age-repair defensins, which are powerful regenerative peptides. Family Dermatology Specialists, Metairie, 832-6612, familydermatologyspecialists.com. 5. Large art glass centerpiece bowl, $575. Greige Home Interiors, Covington, 985-875-7576, greigehome. com. 6. Wood burning cast iron fire bowl with stand. Available in 27”, 31” and 39”, $289-$425. Outdoor Living Center, Covington, 985-893-8008, outdoorlivingcenter.com. 7. Custom handcrafted cutting boards, from $35500. Nola Boards, nolaboards.com.

6

7

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2021

41

Flourishes

1

2 1. Flower scape wall or tabletop sculptures, $25 each. Chateau Gifts & Drugs, Metairie, 8892300, chateaudrugsrx.com.

2. Biltmore Antler Hill, gas or electric. Available in 3 sizes, starting at $629. Gulf Coast Lanterns, Covington, 800-9103275, gulfcoastlanterns.com.

3. Pineapple Fete, 60” x 45”, oil/burlap on wood.

Degas Gallery, 826-9744, thedegasgallery.com.

3

42

I n side N ew Orl ean s

INside Look 1

2

1. Labradorite necklace, $115.

Jennifer Ponson Jewelry Design, 850-698-3183, JenniferPonson. com. 2. Diamond, sapphire, ruby and emerald stack bands in white gold.

Aucoin Hart Jewelers, Metairie, 8349999, AucoinHart.com. 3. EyeMax AlphaRet® Overnight Cream. Bringing the power of AlphaRet Technology to the delicate eye area. Aesthetic Surgical Associates, 309- 7061, aestheticsurgical.com. 4. Truelux Lotion-Candles, $32. AURALUZ, Metairie, 888-3313, shopauraluz.com.

3

4

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2021

43

INside Look

1

1. “Tacori anniversary band collection, available in multiple gemstones and shapes, starting at $4,940. Boudreaux’s Jewelers, 831-2602, boudreauxsjewelers.com. 2. Carrie Ballerina dress, $98. Au Darling, Mandeville, 985-2317566, audarling.com. 3. New Orleans Aesthetics 100% mineral powder is a soft, lightweight formula providing full facial sun protection in a portable, easy-to-apply brush application. Translucent color blurs imperfections, revealing an even, healthy looking skin tone. Antioxidants and natural botanicals calm and soothe visible

2

redness and irritations. New Orleans Aesthetics, 475-1000, neworleansaesthetics.com.

3

44

I n side N ew Orl ean s

4

4. Hand-embroidered bubbles, $48.

AURALUZ, Metairie, 888-3313, shopauraluz.com. 5. 24k goldplated sterling cuff bracelet, featuring tiny delicate flowers by designer 5

Bernd Wolf, 1.25” wide, $1,100.

Symmetry Jewelers, 861-9925, SymmetryJewelers.com. 6. An array of Kirk and Kirk glasses. Eye Wares, 301-1726, scheduleyourexam.com.

6

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2021

45

Rebuilding

Resources

Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights 521 Conti St. 504-522-9485 bevolo.com

Chateau Drugs & Gifts

3544 W Esplanade Ave S, Metairie 504-889-2300 chateaudrugsrx.com

Exterior Designs, Inc.

by Beverly Katz 504-866-0276 exteriordesignsbev.com

Greige Home Interiors

2033 N. Highway 190, Ste 10, Covington 985-875-7576 greigehome.com

Gulf Coast Lanterns

401 North Columbia St., Covington 800-910-3275 gulfcoastlanterns.com

Hilltop Shoppe 3714 Magazine St. 504-533-9670 hilltopshoppe.com

Your home. Your happy place. Mullin, 275-6617, mullinlandscape.com.

46

I nside N ew Orl ea n s

Vintage Mid-century Modern Italian Murano Lamp with tiered fiberglass Sshade from the Bevolo Mid-Century Collection, $750 as shown. Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights, 522-9485, bevolo.com.

Mullin

10356 River Rd, St Rose 504-275-6617 mullinlandscape.com

Outdoor Living Center

1331 N. Highway 190, Covington 985-893-8008 outdoorlivingcenter.com

Ruffino Custom Closets 111 Campbell Blvd., Mandeville 504-252-9884 ruffinocustomclosets.com

Ryan Gootee General Contractors, LLC 1100 Ridgewood Dr., Metairie 504-832-1282 rggc.com

Southland Plumbing Supply 2321 North Arnoult Rd., Metairie 504-835-8411 southlandplumbingsupply.com

State Farm - Mary Beth Rittiner 152 Wall Blvd., Gretna 504-392-5808 mary.b.rittiner.b20f@statefarm.com

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 021

47

Senior Care

Hurricanes and the Elderly

by Joni Friedmann-Lagasse

HOW MANY OF YOU were horrified when you saw photos of the 850 nursing home residents that were evacuated to a warehouse in Tangipahoa Parish? How about the seniors living in subsidized housing apartments? These poor souls were trapped in their apartments with no electricity, no air conditioning, and no way to get food or even water. Many were disabled and in wheelchairs. The building management had evacuated leaving the most vulnerable people to fend for themselves. While these examples are extreme and some facilities did a great job, many other seniors fell through the cracks. We must do better for our seniors.

This brings me to my own special interest in seniors and keeping them safe, preferably in their own home. To do this, you must be prepared. You must have help you can rely on. You really should have a whole house generator and enough food, water, supplies, medication and oxygen to last for seven days. If you have these things, most caregivers will agree to stay in place with you. If you cannot provide these basics things, you should evacuate. The elderly cannot withstand the heat.

For Hurricane Ida, Dependable In-Home Care had about 10 percent of our clients stay in the area with their caregivers. All had whole house generators and many caregivers stayed with their clients 24/7. My staff took calls and manned the phones all while being evacuated themselves.

I am never prouder of my staff and caregivers than I am in a disaster.

They are caring professionals.

I have always known that for most people, staying in their own home is usually the safest place for them to be. It’s also where most want to be. If you are reading this and considering care for yourself or a loved one, please consider home care first. You can always move to an assisted living center or nursing home later as conditions change.

For more information on home care, cost, and availability please call us today, 504-486-5044. We are Nationally Accredited and have been servicing the Greater New Orleans for over 52 years.

Joni Friedmann-Lagasse is the owner of Dependable In-Home Care.

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 021

49

Senior Care

Finding Support and Reaching Goals at St. Anthony’s Gardens

photos courtesy: ST. ANTHONY’S GARDENS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IRIS BLUNDELL and Director of Marketing and Sales Jenny Voltz both share the vision of the Archdiocese of New Orleans: to provide a beautiful senior living community where seniors are thriving and reaching goals they had not thought possible.

When asked about her favorite part of her day, Iris says, “It’s seeing the residents building relationships with

50

I nside N ew Orl ea n s

one another and staff and caring for one another. Being part of this senior living ministry and touching lives on a daily basis has been one of the most truly joyous times of my life. I look forward every day to watching my ‘extended family’ enjoying life in this new and fun chapter!”

Working in senior living most of her career, Jenny expresses her joy in assisting families when the time arises for a transition to a supported environment.

Changes are often difficult, but Jenny says her favorite part is sharing the many gifts and talents of St. Anthony’s Gardens with families and providing solutions for their loved ones.

“St. Anthony’s Gardens offers more than an Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care Community. We offer a supported environment with as much or as little help as our residents would like. And, families have the assurance that St. Anthony’s Gardens has the most compassionate and caring staff to assist their loved ones as needed, every day,” says Jenny.

Jenny and Iris love sharing St. Anthony’s Gardens with the local community. “We have hosted many organizations and meetings and love giving back to our community by sharing a leading role in the Alzheimer’s Association and hosting support groups for memory care and Parkinson’s,” Jenny says. “We are always looking at new ways to share St. Anthony’s Gardens with the surrounding area.”

Iris adds, “St. Anthony’s Gardens’ strength is our strong teamwork, and at the Gardens, we never stop enjoying life!” Shine On! St. Anthony’s Gardens, A Senior Living Ministry of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, is located at 601 Holy Trinity Dr. in Covington. 985-605-5950. stanthonysgardens.org.

Senior Care

Retirement Living

Resources

Resources

Chateau Drugs & Gifts

Money Hill

3544 W Esplanade Ave S, Metairie 504-889-2300 chateaudrugsrx.com

Culicchia Neurological

100 Country Club Dr., Abita Springs 985-892-3300 moneyhill.com

New Orleans, Jefferson and Northshore 504-340-6976 Culicchianeuro.com

Family Dermatology Specialists, LLC focus on total skin wellness.

Dependable In Home Care

Algiers, Gretna, Clearview, Lakeview, Covington, Marrero and Uptown LCMChealthurgentcare.com

702 N. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans 504-486-5044 dependablecare.net The caregivers you request, when you need them, at a price you can afford. Locally owned and operated since 1969.

Family Dermatology Specialists, LLC

3421 N Causeway Blvd., Ste. 202, Metairie 504-832-6612

52

I nside N ew Orl ea n s

LCMC Health Urgent Care

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

602 N. Acadia Rd., Thibodaux 985-447-5500 thibodaux.com At Thibodaux Regional, you are not a number – you are someone who will be treated with respect, cared for with compassion, and treated kindly.

St. Anthony’s Gardens

601 Holy Trinity Dr, Covington 985-605-5950 StAnthonysGardens.org A ministry of the Archdiocese of New Orleans specializing in independent living 55+ and older; assisted living; and memory care.

Up & Coming

RETINA ASSOCIATES NEW ORLEANS WELCOMES DR. KATHY H. TA AS PARTNER Retina Associates New Orleans recently welcomed Dr. Kathy H. Ta as parter. Board Certified in Ophthalmology and Vitreoretinal Surgery, Dr. Ta earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from Tulane University, and medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport. She completed an internship in Internal Medicine at Ochsner Clinic Foundation; Ophthalmology residency at Louisiana State University Health and Sciences Center and Ochsner Medical Center, where she served as Chief Resident; and fellowship training in Vitreoretinal Surgery at The Foundation for Retinal Research in New Orleans. She is a member of The American Academy of Ophthalmology, The American College of Surgeons, and The American Society of Retina Specialists. She is also an active researcher, participating in numerous ongoing clinical trials in ophthalmology, focusing on diseases of the Retina, Macula and Vitreous.

Learn more about Retina Associates New Orleans at retinaassociates.org.

SACRED HEART NAMES INTERIM HEAD OF SCHOOL The Academy of the Sacred Heart Board of Trustees is proud to name Micheline Dutil as Interim Head of School. Micheline Dutil joins Sacred Heart with extensive experience and success in Catholic education and administration. Micheline was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and at a young age moved with her family to Toronto, where she became bilingual in French and English. She holds degrees from the University of Toronto, the Universite d’Ottawa and Mount St. Vincent University.

Micheline served in the Catholic education system in Toronto for over 30 years as a teacher and administrator.

With her children launched in their own careers abroad, Micheline accepted a position as Headmaster at the International School of Arizona in Scottsdale in 2018.

A lifelong learner, devoted to the Catholic Church, she is eager to share her love of learning and her faith with the students, staff and all families at Sacred Heart and

is excited to work within a Catholic institution once again. Micheline opened the 2021-2022 school year by welcoming all faculty and staff back to campus, meeting with families new to the school and greeting students as they walked into the gates on their first day of class. For more information, visit ashrosary.org.

KEA SHERMAN LAUNCHES TWO NEW BUSINESSES Since founding the Sherman Law Firm over a decade ago, Kea Sherman has been committed to providing client focused representation. Her personal involvement in every step of litigation and document drafting produces the results that keep her clients happy, while also fostering long term relationships. After running for the Louisiana Legislature in 2019 and founding two statewide political organizations, Emerge Louisiana and Les Femmes PAC, Kea launched Sherman Strategic Affairs this year to help people and businesses in the realm of politics and government. She offers client representation within the fields of business, economic development, strategic planning, and local, state, and federal government relations. She is the chair the Louisiana Environmental Education Commission.

Recently, Kea launched a disaster recovery business, the Mayhaw Group. As an approved vendor, the Mayhaw Group specializes in providing lifestyle services, including temporary commercial and residential housing, as well as food and hospitality services for governmental and business entities, emergency preparedness and response, and remote site facilities.

Above: Chairman of the Sacred Heart Board of Trustees Larry DeMarcay and Head of School Micheline Dutil.

Left: Dr. Kathy Ta. Below: Kea Sherman.

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 021

53

IN Small Business

by Alison Burns Schonk

Post-Ida Business Recovery

FOR MOST OF US business owners, we have experienced some impact from Ida, whether it be economical, structural, or a combination of the two. At my company, we were very much spared in structural damage, but are still taking a great economic hit. So how do you recover well and potentially place yourself in an even stronger position?

Your first resource would be your business insurance. Not only is it for structural damages, but the Louisiana Insurance Commissioner issued an executive order that carriers waive the mandate for mandatory evacuations to cover insured through economic losses under civil authority.

Next, register with FEMA who will automatically register you with the SBA for National Disaster Assistance. You don’t have to accept this but applying will show you how much you are eligible to receive in a low-cost loan. You can do this in addition to insurance, and it may be very helpful in hiring more employees or making additional structural changes. The SBA Disaster Loan can also be used to cover your insurance deductible.

You’ll want to fully vet any contractors you use. You want to see current license and insurance without exception. It’s also best if they are local. Remember, a lot of contractors have flooded the area to get their piece of the pie because of the storm, and the last thing you want is to be taken advantage of while you are already in a vulnerable position.

Lastly, you want to do whatever is possible in order to generate revenue while you are rebuilding, and that means ensuring you have the proper working equipment! If your internet or power is still out, do you have a mobile pay solution to work off cell phones in the meantime? (My company is offering them free to Ida-impacted merchants). Does it make sense to start an eCommerce store for your business now? There are several ways to sell online that can be economical, and we can also consult with you on what is best for your business. If you have power and your equipment is not working, the outage may have blown out the equipment, which means it needs to be replaced. Precision Payment Systems is ready to help walk you through determining that, and we’re ready to get you up and running with whatever you need as well.

Money is not everything, but you can recover your business well and position yourself better than before the storm. I hope these tips are helpful to you, and I would love to discuss further any questions you have. Email me at aburns@precisionpaymentsystems.com, and best of luck!

54

I n side N ew Orl ean s

Banking, Financial and Insurance

BANKING

Resources

Fidelity Bank

Multiple locations throughout the Greater New Orleans area.

504-861-7778 bankwithfidelity.com

FINANCIAL

JDL CPA Forensic Accounting Business Consulting 812-7105 jessicaleblanccpa.com

Precision Payment Services

1912 Clearview Pkwy., Ste. 201, Metairie 504-229-6394 precisionpaymentsystems.com

Shirley “Toni” McCord, CPA, APAC

2908 Hessmer Ave, Metairie; 504-888-8333 2895 Hwy 190, Mandeville; 985-727-7797 tonimccordcpa.com

INSURANCE

Edwards Jones - Jessica Marasco Illes

606 N. Carrollton Ave. 504-486-8645 Jessica.Marasco@edwardjones.com

HUB International Gulf South

16561 E. Brewster Road, Suite 102, Covington 3510 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie 504- 491-5576 hubinternational.com

North American Insurance Agency of Louisiana, INC 2255 N. Hwy. 190, Covington 871-5480 naiala.com

State Farm - Mary Beth Rittiner 152 Wall Blvd., Gretna 504-392-5808 mary.b.rittiner.b20f@statefarm.com

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 021

55

Boo Carré at the French Market.

THE COOL AIR of fall welcomes fun seasonal events and more things to do outside. Whether a trip to Mississippi or Alabama, or if you prefer to stay local, there are plenty of festive to-dos to fill your family’s calendar.

PETER ANDERSON ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL Ocean Springs, a cottage community rich in cultural, is located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This historic town is filled with several miles of shopping, dining and entertainment surrounded by arts, beautiful landscaping, bayous and a walkable downtown district to peruse. The Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival, presented by Blue Moon, is

56

I n side N ew Orl ean s

photo: JOSH BRASTED

Fall To-Dos

held the first full weekend in November each year. Falling on November 6 and 7 this year, it’s known as the largest fine arts festival in the state. Bringing in more than 400 artists, crafters and food vendors, and a state-wide blue moon art contest, the festival was created to increase public awareness of local artists and businesses, and to honor master potter, Peter Anderson. What began as a small celebration by a group of local artists has now grown into one of the Southeast’s premiere arts and crafts festivals bringing more than 150,000 people to historic Ocean Springs annually. The festival will open November 6 and 7 from 9am to 5pm both days. Find more information at peterandersonfestival.com.

BOO CARRÉ HALLOWEEN HAUNT AT THE FRENCH MARKET Since 1791, the historic French Market has remained an enduring symbol of pride and progress for the people of New Orleans.

In over 200 years of existence, the Market has been built, destroyed, and rebuilt many times over, but what remains unchanged is the Market’s central spirit of commerce,

HALLOWEEN AT OWA PARKS & RESORT While downtown OWA in Foley, Alabama, is home to shops and dining all year long, Halloween offers additional fun for kids of all ages. Every Friday through Saturday, October 15-31, take the kiddos to OWA for trick-or-treating, arts and

photo courtesy: OWA

community, and culture that is irresistible to visitors from near and far. Locals and visitors alike can sip and snack their way through the French Market enjoying traditional New Orleans fare as well as specialty items with local flair. Beautiful fall weather allows the opportunity to stroll and shop local at boutique shops and art galleries, in addition to the spectacular finds in the Farmers and Flea Markets. Live music happens daily at two locations within the French Market: Gazebo Café and Market Café. October 23 brings the French Market’s Boo Carré Halloween Haunt in Dutch Alley. Enjoy live music, trick-or-treating and children’s activities from 10:30am to 4:30pm. Learn more at frenchmarket.org.

crafts, spooky movies and more. On weekend one, children can make hand-print spiders and paint pumpkins; weekend two, Halloween bookmarks and pumpkin painting; and weekend 3, create your own Frankenstein and pumpkin painting.

Trick-or-treating is held from 5-7pm while supplies last. Island Movie Nights will screen Beetlejuice on October 16, Casper on October 23, and Hocus Pocus on October 30. Looking for something a little more frightening for teens 13 and up? Terror in The Park is an option! Find more at visitowa.com.

OWA Parks & Resort.

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2 021

57

INside Peek Margarita Bergen’s Sailing Into Fall Round Table Luncheon

photos: FRANK STANSBURY

Margarita Bergen’s Sailing Into Fall Round Table Luncheon was held at Briquette. Guest speakers included Hon. Councilwoman Kristin Palmer, Tammy O’ Shea of Fidelity Bank, Director of the New Orleans Jazz Museum Greg Lambousey, and Publisher of Inside New Orleans Jonee Daigle-Ferrand.

Guests enjoyed delightful food and conversation.

58

I nside N ew Orl ea n s

1. The team at Mullin landscape deployed less than 48 hours after Ida made landfall in south Louisiana, cleaning up their clients’ properties to restore safety, beauty, and peace of mind. 2. The Mullin team also handed out over 10 pallets of water, more than 1,000 hot meals, and supplies. 3. Annette Dowdle (in red) with her Hub International team at the Sophrosyne Me! event at the Greystone in Mandeville. 4. Seth Bode, The Pirogue

1

Praline King, dropping off homemade jambalaya to linemen. 5. Thibodeaux Regional Health System helped United Way of South Louisiana distribute water postIda. 6. Caitlin Hunter of Chevron filling gas tanks for first responders, healthcare workers and citizens across Southeast Louisiana. Chevron donated over 115,000 gallons. 7. Casey Langteau Johnson painted “Louisiana Strong” for Hurricane Ida relief raising over $50,000 (and

2

3

counting) for local charities. 8. Cajun Pop being enjoyed along the riverfront. 9. Ryan Gootee General Contractors working tirelessly after the storm. 10. Chevron partnered with Rebuilding Together New Orleans to provide Greater New Orleans area residents with immediate home repairs.

11. HUB International’s Metairie and Covington offices participated in the 2021 Northshore Heart Walk raising 4

$8,773 for the American Heart Association.

5

7

10

6

8

9

11 O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2021

59

Drinks with Anna

Shaking up the Classics

THERE ARE PLENTY of classic cocktails that are gone but not forgotten. Everyone is serving versions of the Old Fashion and the Manhattan, but what about the others that were favorites back in the day? I decided to play around and bring some of those “old school” drinks back to life.

THE ALABAMA SLAMMER Loved by the college crowds in the 80s served as a shaken shot, but was made famous by Brett Favre.

1 1 1 3

oz oz oz oz

amaretto sloe gin Southern Comfort orange juice

Mix all ingredients in a shaker tin filled with ice and strain into a shot glass.

THE SALTY DOG A drink that dates to the 20s. It’s a simple but easy favorite.

2 oz vodka 3 oz grapefruit juice Salt rim Shake vodka and grapefruit juice in cocktail shaker filled with ice; strain into a salt rimmed high ball glass filled with ice.

60

I nside N ew Orl ea n s

THE GRASSHOPPER A drink invented in New Orleans in 1918.

THE SINGAPORE SLING A long drink developed in Singapore in 1915.

1 oz Crème de Cacao (white) 1 oz Crème de Menthe .5 oz simple syrup 1 oz fresh cream

1 oz gin .5 oz Heering Cherry Liqueur .5 oz grenadine 2 oz lime juice 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters Splash of club soda

Shake all ingredients in a shaker tin filled with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Sprinkle chocolate shavings as a garnish.

THE HARVEY WALLBANGER A fun, simple vodka cocktail created in the 50s but gained popularity during the disco era of the 70s.

2 oz vodka 4 oz orange juice .5 oz Galliano Mix the vodka and orange juice in a rocks glass filled with ice; stir and float with Galliano.

In a tall glass filled with ice mix all ingredients. Garnish with an orange wheel.

While recreating these classic cocktails, I was able to reminisce about the first time I enjoyed each of them. I hope you enjoy bringing these drinks back to life with your own special twists.

Cheers!

photos: ANNA TUSA

by Anna Tusa

IN the Kitchen

by Lorin Gaudin

FOR THE TAMALES 2 lbs of ground beef (ground chuck is good) 1 medium sweet yellow onion, quartered 2 - 3 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 Caroll Shelby’s Chili Kits (use all packets except the masa flour) 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ cup chili powder (I love Mexene) ½ 8 oz can crushed tomatoes ½ - ¾ cups of yellow cornmeal 1- 2 teaspoons red chile flakes (optional but good if you like extra spicey) tamale papers FOR THE SAUCE (this is what will be added to the tamales as they cook) ½ can of tomato sauce 1 teaspoon cumin ¼ cup chili powder 1 teaspoon Salt 1 teaspoon black pepper

Hot Tamales New Orleans Style

FOR THIS ISSUE, I decided to go seriously old school and play with a recipe for New Orleans style Hot Tamales. What exactly are New Orleans Hot Tamales? Well, those of an age will remember Manuel’s Hot Tamales - small cylinders of spiced ground beef and a bit of cornmeal, wrapped in thin papers and covered in a slick, spicy sauce.

Dozens came wrapped in newspaper—the grease seeping through almost immediately—and there were always Saltine crackers to soak up the sauce and tamale bits. Maybe it’s a nostalgic food memory at work, but I fondly recall hot tamales as the most delicious and best hangover cure, ever.

Manuel’s may be long gone, but there are still loads of tamales being made and sold from stands and restaurants around town. Get a beefy hot tamale fix by the half-dozen or dozen from Bucktown’s R&O or for a touch more cornmeal and a tamale po-boy, try Guillory’s Deli on Derbigny in Metairie.

To make homemade tamales is no easy thing. However, after cooking several batches, I arrived at this relatively simple recipe and method. There’s still some labor involved, but overall, these tamales are pretty quick to put together, delicious and the clean-up is easy. Get the holidays rolling with New Orleans Hot Tamales.

62

I nside N ew Orl ea n s

Combine all ingredients in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add seasonings, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and set aside.

TO MAKE THE TAMALES Place raw ground beef into a large mixing bowl. Put onions, seasonings, and tomato sauce in a food processor or blender and process until the onions are finely chopped. Pour tomato-onion-spice mixture over the meat. Add the cornmeal and with your hands, mix well. Take 1-2 Tablespoons meat mixture, shape into a log and wrap into moistened tamale paper to completely close in the beef. Repeat until all the tamale mixture is gone.

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, stack the tamales in layers - making sure each layer is perpendicular to the one below.

Cover the tamales with water then add the seasoned tomato sauce. Cover pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours. Check occasionally to be sure the tamales stay covered. At the end of 2 hours, gently remove tamales to a cookie sheet and let cool to help set the cornmeal. Tamales can be reheated in a pan on the stove or in a microwave.

Reduce the “sauce” that remains in the cooking pot by half, over high heat. Serve the sauce over the reheated tamales, and don’t forget saltine crackers to go alongside.

photos: LORIN GAUDIN

O c t obe r - N ov e m be r 2021

63

Haute Plates

A selection of restaurants and haute dishes found in New Orleans and beyond.

A Tavola

3413 VETERANS BLVD. METAIRIE 504-577-2235 ATAVO.LA Modern Italian cuisine in a lively,

Annunciation

1016 ANNUNCIATION ST. NEW ORLEANS 504-568-0245 ANNUNCIATIONRESTAURANT.COM Annunciation Restaurant, located

Boulevard American Bistro

5171 CITRUS BLVD. NEW ORLEANS 504-410-5171 BOULEVARDBISTRO.COM Classic American cuisine with

family-friendly setting. Featuring a

in New Orleans’ bustling Warehouse

bright, spacious dining room, patio and

District, is walking distance to the New

locations in Elmwood and Metairie.

bar offering Salute! Wednesdays, Vino

Orleans Convention Center and WWII

Enjoy delicious dishes, exceptional

Thursdays, and daily happy hour from

museum. Specializing in Southern

service, and outdoor dining. The bar

2 – 6 pm. Join us for Italian favorites,

and Creole cuisine, Annunciation is the

hosts Wine & Dine Wednesdays, $5

wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, paninis,

perfect setting for an intimate evening

Martini Thursdays, and a happy hour that

salads, and more!

out or a corporate dinner.

runs weekdays from 3-6 pm.

64

I n side N ew Orl ean s

Briquette

701 SOUTH PETERS ST. NEW ORLEANS 504-302-7496 BRIQUETTE-NOLA.COM Award-winning contemporary coastal cuisine featuring Gulf seafood and fish, beef, lamb, chicken, Maine Lobster and unique chef specials daily. Enjoy the COOLinary 3-course meal for $43 PP all inclusive now through September.

Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard 819 RUE CONTI NEW ORLEANS 504.581.3866 BROUSSARDS.COM Celebrate Broussard’s 101 years of service with Chef Jimi Setchim’s $45 3-course prix fixe menu. Enjoy the ambiance of outdoor dining in the largest courtyard in the French Quarter. Join us for our monthly Century Supper Series featuring craft cocktails from each decade we have been in service.

Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop

2309 N. CAUSEWAY BLVD. METAIRIE 504-835-2022 GUMBOSTOP.COM Chef Ron’s seafood platter is like no other. Louisiana Shrimp, Oysters and Catfish are golden fried and nestled above crispy potato fries and a lagniappe of fried crab balls.

Everyday Keto To Go Bakery

110 ATHANIA PKWY, SUITE B METAIRIE, LA 70001 (RIGHT OFF METAIRIE ROAD) 504-957-9033 EVERYDAYKETOTOGO.COM Healthy can be delicious!

Gluten free, Sugar Free, Low Carb and Keto Bakery delivering weekly to New Orleans and surrounding areas including the Northshore!

New Orleans Creole Cookery

508 TOULOUSE ST. NEW ORLEANS 504-524-9632 NEWORLEANSCREOLECOOKERY.COM Experience the traditional Creole tastes of New Orleans in the historic French Quarter. Specialties include jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, shrimp creole and raw and chargrilled oysters on the half shell. Craft cocktails and signature drinks with Happy Hour, weekdays 3-6pm.

Last Bite

Everyday Keto To Go Bakery

photo courtesy: SUSAN FREESWICK

by Leah Draffen

COOLER TEMPERATURES are a perfect complement to the warm flavors bakeries offer in the fall. Everyday Keto To Go Bakery provides a variety of warm flavored treats such as Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake, Pecan Pie, Pumpkin and Cream Cheesecake Rolls, Pumpkin-spiced Scones and a host of other baked goods. And all of these can be found at the newly opened brick and mortar in Old Metairie. After three years of delivering her baked goods to customers near and far, Susan Freeswick, the owner, Keto Chef and Baker of Everyday Keto To Go, is excited to open a space to offer even more healthy and delicious treats!

At first glance, the bakery may seem like a usual Everyday Keto To Go owner, Keto bakery serving sugary, carb-filled delights, but here’s Chef and Baker Susan Freeswick. the secret: everything is healthy! All of Susan’s desserts and baked goods are gluten free, sugar free and low carb. “People who have diet restrictions are so excited to have found us. We are giving them things they can enjoy again,” Susan says.

“My baked goods have made diabetic customers cry because they can finally have something safe. It makes me teary every time I think about it, because 66

I nside N ew Orl ea n s

it has become so much more than a bakery.” Susan continues to add to her offerings so that everyone has something sweet to eat. From grooms’ cakes and wedding cakes to birthday cakes and custom pastries, custom orders have become a large part of the bakery and Susan loves taking on the challenge!

“I enjoy breaking the boundaries of something that would normally be out of the question for a diabetic or someone with celiac. I’m often asked, ‘is that really sugar free or gluten free?’” And it is, as well as low carb and Keto. Other offerings include a variety of pastries, international cookies and breads, bagels, Cinnamon rolls, breads, brownies, and more.

At home, Susan also prepares her family Keto meals that she shares on Instagram @nolaketolady.

In early 2022, Susan’s first cookbook will be available, which will showcase healthy meals for the whole family. Healthy can be delicious!

Everyday Keto To Go Bakery is located at 110 Athania Parkway, Ste. B, in Metairie. 504-957-9033. everydayketotogo.com.